Gas filled machine



Nov. 30, 1948. DE WITT s. SNELL ETAL 2,454,979

- as FILLED mcnma a Filed Jan. 17, 1947 4 z sne ets sheet 1 Fig. I.

v 4 I 25 Inventors: DeWitbSSnell, Lloyd P Grobel,

by 4 Their AUborney Nov. 30, 1948. DE Wm SNELL HAL 2,454,979

AS FILLED means 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1947 m lag/2 m L\Oyd FT G'robel,

by Their- Aoovney.

Nov. 30, 1948. DE wrn s. SNELL ETAL 2,454,979

GAS FILLED MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1 94? 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 )0 l5 6A5 FLOWIN CUBIC FEET PER DAY o 0 0 0 0 o 5 O 5 0 5 Z 2 l I t t t M m wl AP flm 5 0 SCAVENGING RATE cu. FT. PER. DAY

Patented Nov. 30, 1948 GAS FILLED MACHINE De Witt S. Snell and Lloyd P. Grobel, Schenectady, N. Y., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application January 17, 1947, Serial No. 722,542

5 Claims.

Our invention relates to gas-filled machines, such as hydrogen-cooled dynamoelectric machines.

In dynamoelectric machines with a gas-filled casing, the gas being used as a cooling medium, it is desirable to maintain the purity of the gas substantially constant and at a high level. Any failure to do so adversely aiiects the cooling properties of the gas and concurrently enhances the windage loss which it causes in the machine. One important factor in this connection is, of course, the provision of suitable means to prevent excessive loss of gas from the machine casing, and for this purpose it is common practice to provide liquid seals between the casing and shafts to prevent cutward leakage of gas. It is also a frequent practice to deliver a continuous supply of liquid, typically lubricating oil, under pressure to such seals to maintain their efiectiveness. Since the liquid so introduced may constitute an efiective source of contaminants, particularly air, it is necessary to provide extensive purifying equipment, includin gas detraining tanks and vacuum pumps, as a means of purifying the sealing liquid as it circulates and recir-culates. This technique, while effective, is expensive in terms of the apparatus and operating power which it requires.

An object of our invention is to provide means for maintaining substantially constant the purity of the cooling gas in a gas-filled dynamoelectric machine without the use of elaborate and costly purging and purifying apparatus.

Another object of our invention is to reduce the entry of liquid vapors into the casing.

A further object of our invention is to make possible the use of untreated sealing liquid in the shaft seals without affecting the purity of the gas in the casing.

Still a further object of our invention is to eliminate the necessity of detraining air contained in or absorbed by the sealing liquid during storage or in the course of its circulation,

We have found it possible to attain these objects by a system which involves continuous scavenging of air introduced into the casing structure by the sealing liquid or otherwise. This is ac complished by maintaining a continuous but accurately controlled flow of cooling gas from the machine, with continuous replacement of the withdrawn gas such that the purity of the gas Within the casing is maintained at constant level. An important feature of the invention consists in the provision of means by which the rate of gas withdrawal can be narrowly controlled within optimum limits. With the attainment of these conditions, we find it economically feasible to eliminate entirely from the system the elaborate sealing liquid purifying means heretofore employed. At the same time, we are enabled to maintain the gas within the casing at a higher level of constant purity than has previously been deemed practicable when the seals are supplied with untreated oil.

The features of the invention which are considered novel are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a schematic representation showing in partial section a dynamoelectric machine suitable for the application of the invention, together with the system elements of which the invention is comprised; Fig. 2 shows in section the details of a form of valve used as one element of our improved system; Fig. 3 is a graphical representation useful in explaining the characteristics of the valve of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a further graphical representation useful in explaining the advantages of our invention.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. l, we have shown a dynamoelectric machine including a stationary member I and a rotatable member 2 arranged within an enclosing casing 3 filled with a ventilating gas other than air, preferably such as hydrogen. The rotatable member 2 includes a shaft 4 which extends through the end walls 5 of the enclosing casing 3. In order to ventilate and cool the dynamoelectric machine effectively, a ventilating gas within the enclosing casing 3 is circulated therein through the various windings and parts of the machine and through gas coolcrs. This ventilating gas is drawn from the end of the enclosing casing 3 into the space enclosed by the end walls 5 and is recirculated by the ventilating fan 6 carried by the shaft member 4 and discharged into the fan casing 6' which diverts the ventilating gas into the gap between the stationary member and the rotatable member and around the end turns of the stationary armature winding l. Under various operating conditions of the dynamoelectric machine, it is desirable to maintain difierent ventilating gas pressures within the enclosing casin 3, requiring a sealing arrangement around the shaft openings in the enclosing casing for these different operating pressure conditions, The rotatatable shaft member 4 is supported by bearings 8 which are mounted in bearing housings carried by the end walls 5, and lubricating oil is supplied to the bearings B through a suitable bearing lubricating oil feed supply system. This includes a bearing oil feed line 9 which supplies oil to the bearings 8 through suitable bearing oil lubricating openings from a bearing oil reservoir tank W, from which the oil is pumped by a suitable pump ll. Excess lubricating oil is drained from thebearings 8 into bearing oil drains l2 which connectwith collecting chambers i3 and M formed in the bearing housings supported by the end walls 5 and lead to the bearing oil reservoir tank 18.

In order to prevent the mixing of atmospheric air and the ventilating gas withint'the casing, liquid seals l5 are provided at each'end-of the casing and are connected to the end 'Walls 5. These liquid seals l5 may be of any type known in the art which limits the amount of sealing liquid flow along the shaft to the minimum amount necessary for preventing the escape of -,gas:from the annularchambers liiandfor preventingithe entranceoi atmospheric air into the annularchambers i6. Asillustrated, they comprise two diametrically splitannular rings l5 which are held insealing engagement with the shaft :member 4 .by annular springs 15'. Knotshown) are provided for holding the rings .Means against rotation. The annular chambers iii are formed by deflectors ill which sealingly engage pipe 2.9 to the atmospherictank the shaft 4, the liquid seals 35, and the end wallsfi. Sealing liquid is adapted to be sup- Sealing liquid which in the corresponding chamber assumed to exist at the'other end of-themachine, and this excess .sealing'liquid islremoved from these chambers through suitable drainpiping. land 20.

.An enlargedrconnection or header V2! in the sealing liquid drain provides a relatively large liquid surface 22 forpermitting the escape of .gas from the sealing liquid. A pipe2-i is disposed inheader 2| insuchl a manner that itmaintains the liquid surface :22. header 2! through pipe 26 to a valve system in- The sealing liquid flows from the eluding afloat valve 33 anda by-pass valve '25. Thislvalve system serves the purpose of preventinggas flow from the sealing liquid drain en .largement or header ,2! to the sealing liquid storage tank 27. 'During normal low pressure operation, the valves23 and 24 are closed, and

by-pass valveliit isiopen, thus permitting theex vcess sealing, liquid tolflow from header 2! through pipe .26 to .the sealing liquid storage tank 21,

thence through the normallyopen valve 28 and From here, itpasses through pipe'fi l to tank,32, and when the sealing liquid level in tankv32 is even with pipe lhe U-tube formed tank32 prevents during low pressure operation .thevflow of thegas from enlargement 2| to the sealing liquid-storage tank 21. When the effective-length of the U-tube thus formed it not great enoughtoequalthepressure in enlarge ment 2I,-valves 23 and 24 are opened and valve .25 is closed, thus placing into operation float :lvalve 133 which closes when liquid is forced enculating pump t l tirely out of the pipe 26 and thus prevents the passage of gas into the sealing liquid storage tank 27.

When the dynamoelectric machine is in operation, bearing oil, which in the preferred case is used also as sealing liquid, is pumped from reservoir tank 10 by the main lubricating oil cir- Part of the oil coming from .pump'l [is conducted by piping 9 to the bearings 8 and part is conducted by piping 35, 36 and ill to liquid seals 5. The pressure at which the sealing liquid is supplied to liquid seals H5 is maintained-at a predetermined amount greater than the pressure inienclosing casing 3 and in chamber-H3 by-a-differential pressure control valve 37 whichds"interposed in piping 35. The operating mechanism .of the differential pressure control valve "31 is connected to the sealing liquid drain enlargement 2| by the piping 38 and to the sealing liquid supply piping 36': by piping 39. The valves dill-and M interposed inpi'p-ing 36. are provided so that the differentialpressure control valve 3'! may be isolated should repairs be necessary. I1

control valvetl is isolated by closing valves 40 and iii, the sealing liquidsupply is continued throughpiping '42 by manually operating valve sealing liquid pump llassociated with the stor- -age=tank 2.! by connecting the pump toa power supply source 4.6". The pump 4? pumps the .sealing -liquidfroml tank 2'! through piping 36 or .42 in .the same .mannervas does pump H. A reverse flow-preventing valve 41' interposed in pipinglifi prevents the passage ofcsealing liquid othrough pipinglfifi.toitank l il when pumpl ll' is .inoperation.

."An important aspect of our invention consists inthef act that. byvirtue. of its .use it. is I unnecessary at any point in the .systemtoprovide means for removing airentrainedand dissolved in the lubricating and sealing ,oilemployed. On the contrary, wefin'd-it possible to useuntreatedoii and to completely eliminate the cumbersome vacuum apparatus conventionally employed to get rid of .absorbed .air lest ,.it i seriously pollute the ventilating.gassemployed.inlthe main casing. The meanslby whichthis'is accomplished will be described in the following.

In order tomaintainthe :purity of the gas in the enclosing casing3 at a relatively high value, ,pure ventilating gasis admitted to. the enclosing casing whilethegas'which ismost susceptible to pollutionzb-y,inwardjleakage10f air is allowed to escape systematicallyfrom the enclosing casing according to ,an arrangementvto be explained at .alaterv point. 'The admission of the pure gas is accomplishedby an arrangement including an adjustable pressureeregulating valve 48 interposed inconnectingpiping ,49 which joins the enclosing casinggil withahigh pressure ventilatinggas container '59. The adjustable pressure regulating valve 4 8. may beadjusted to maintain anyodesiredpressure in the enclosing casing 3.

Also,,.a valve ..,5| isinterposed in piping 49 for isolating theadjustablepressure regulating valve 478- fromlthenenclosing casing} when desired, and a valv 52 is ,provided for isolating .the Y pressure regulating valve 48 from the high pressure ventilating gas container 50.

With the scavenging system in operation the overall pressure of the ventilating gas in the enclosing casing 3 causes an outward leakage between the deflectors l! and the shaft 4 into the annular chambers [5. This outward leakage of ventilating gas through annular chambers 16 scavenges from the annular chambers 18 the air which is liberated by the untreated sealing liquid which flows from the liquid seal 15 into the annular chambers Hi.

This outward leakage of ventilating gas also reduces the flow of sealing liquid vapors from the annular chambers (5 to the enclosing casing 3. The liquid vapors which are formed in annular chambers It, as a result of sealing liquid being thrown off of the shaft member 4 or otherwise, tend to enter the enclosing casing 3 through the clearance provided between the deflector l1 and the shaft members 4; however, this flow is sufficiently opposed by the outward leakage of ventilating gas from the enclosing casing 3 so that the net entry of such vapors into the main casing is negligible. Moreover, the accumulation of such vapors in the chambers I6 is minimized by virtue of the continuous passage of gas from these chambers into the pipes l9 and 20.

The leakage gas, the liberated air, the sealing liquid vapors, and the sealing liquid flow through piping l8 and 28 to the header formed by the enlarged portion 2| of the sealing liquid drain. The enlarged portion 2| of the sealing liquid drain provides a large liquid surface 22 which permits the escape from the liquid of such excess of gas and air as is capable of being removed without vacuum treatment (which our invention avoids). The gas trap formed by piping 19 ending below the liquid surface 22 of the enlarged portion 2! of the sealing liquid drain keeps the leakage gas from each end of the dynamoelectric machine separate. The gas trapped in piping I9 is drained off by piping 54, and the gas coming from piping 20 entrapped in the enlarged portion 2! of the sealing liquid drain is drained oil by piping 53. The flow of scavenging and scavenged gas through piping 53 and 54 is controlled by Vernier throttling valves 55 and 55. Flowmeters 51 and 58 are interposed in piping 53 and 54 to measure and thus to facilitate control of the amount of scavenging and scavenged gas flowing from each end of the enclosing casing 3. The scavenging and scavenged gases after passage through the flowmeters 51 and 58 are discharged to the atmosphere. Also interposed in piping 53 and 54 are pressure reduction and cutofi valves 59 and 60 which are necessary for completely shutting off the flow of scavenging gas through the annular chamber l5.

To insure the safe operation of this scavenging system, purity indicators (not shown) may be inserted in piping 53 and 54 so that the purity of the scavenging and scavenged gas may be measured after the gas passes through the flowmeters 51 and 58. The purity of this gas must be maintained above the explosive limit of the gas, which is 75% hydrogen and 25% air when hydrogen is used.

Vfhen the shaft extends through only one end of the enclosing casing, it is not necessary to provide a gas trap as shown in Fig. 1 by drain piping l9 ending below the liquid surface 22 in the seal drain enlargement.

The success of our invention depends largely upon the fact that we provide means for controlling the flow of scavenging gas within a range which adequately maintains the purity of the ventilating gas at a high level while being sufiiciently economical of pure gas to show a substantial saving over those systems which require elaborate apparatus for the constant purification of the sealing liquid. This is accomplished by accurately regulating the escape of mixed gas and air from the chamber [6 and its subsequent release to the atmosphere through flowmeters 51 and 58.

The degree of control postulated in the foregoing has been found possible by use of a regulating valve which requires a relatively great valve stem rotation for a small change in flow through the valve, and in Fig. 2 we have shown the details of a Vernier throttling valve which has this characteristic. This valve is to be considered as an enlarged sectional view of the valves 55 and 56 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 there are shown a number of pads of resilient fibrous material located in the bore 82 of the valve body 83, the flow of gas through the valve being controlled by the porosity of this material. The pads 81 may consist of felt, wool yarn, or similar resilient fibrous materials. Porosity is controlled by compressing the fibrous material with a force exerted by rotation of a valve stem 84 which is in threaded engagement at 85 with a valve head 86 screwed into the upper portion of the valve body 83. To insure a uniform pressure on the resilient fibrous material 8!, a pressure distributing member 8'! is used. The force exerted by the valve stem 84 is applied to the pressure distributing member 8'! through a spherical bearing 88. Leakage of gas from the valve bore 82 along the valve stem 84 is prevented by a seal 98 which may be made from any suitable packing material, such as graphite impregnated flax packing. The seal 89 is kept in sealing engagement with the valve stem 84 and the valve head 86 by the packing nut 89 which is in threaded engagement with the valve head 86. The bore 9! is provided in packing nut 89 for passage of valve stem 84.

A gas whose flow is to be controlled is admitted to the bore 82 of the valve body 83 through an inlet orifice 93 connected to piping 82, which may be assumed to correspond to the terminal portion of one of the pipes 53, 54 shown in Fig. 1. The gas then flows through the resilient fibrous material 8i into the upper portion of the bore 82 and is drained off by piping 94. In the application of the valve in the system of Fig. 1, the gas so passing through the valve would go to flowrneter 5? or 58 and thence to atmosphere. The sensitivity of this type of valve may be changed by changing the amount of resilient fibrous material 81 placed in the bore 82 of this valve.

Referring to Fig. 3, we have shown a graphical representation useful in explaining the characteristics of the valve in Fig. 2. For a better understanding of these characteristic curves, it may be assumed that each of the three valves whose characteristic curves are shown in Fig. 3 perform the function of one of the valves 55, 55 interposed in one of the pipes 53, 54 shown in Fig. 1, that gas was allowed to flow in one of the pipes 53. 54 under pressure of one-half pound per square inch. and that each valve was used for throttling the flow of gas. The characteristic curve A was obtained by using a valve of the type shown in Fig. 2, the characteristic curve B was obtained by using a standard needle valve with a 15 needle,

machines and the characteristic "curve C --was obtained by using a standardneedle valve with a 30 needle.

By comparing 'the slope of these three characteristic curves, iticanibe that the'valve of the typeshown inF-ig. Zpermitsa relatively large valve stem rotation for "small change of gas "flow/through the valve compared tothe'smail valve etenitrotation for an equivalent changein fiowthrough the two standard sneedle valves.

Morc specificallyit is possible with a valve of :ilis type to adjust the rate of flow withan accuracy o'f plus orminusone "cubic iootperzday. This high de ree. of 'controllability' of. flow through the valves 53 and 54 -makes it :possible to accurately throttle the flow of'mixe'd gas-and air frcm chamber i6 of Fig. 1.

Referring toFig. 4l.* wehave'shown agraphical representation of the percentage value of pure gasinthe enclosing'casing of Fig l as a function of the scavenging flow through the annular chambers I6.

From this curve, itwill be'seen that'for the particular'machine on which'the tests Were'made a gas purity'on theorder of or above 98% can be maintained with a rate of scavenging gas'flow materially less than'lOO cubic feet per day. This result was obtained with a machine having rating of 37500 kva. and a speed of rotation of 3600revolutions'per'minute. While therate of flow required will, of-course, vary with the size of machine involved, even for a relatively s'lmailmachine, this rate of gasloss is economirally acceptable. In connection with larger machinesthe cost of hydrogen supply becomes increasingly less significant'inrelation to the total investment inequipm'ent so that the greater rate of gas flowwhich'might be required with such will be well within "the bounds of profitable operation.

While we have illustrated and describedaparticular embodimentof our-invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art. "We desire it to be understood, therefore, that our invention 'is'not to be limited to the particular arrangement disclosed, and we intend in the. appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from'the spirit and scope of our invention.

What we .claim as new and desire to secure byLetters'JPatent .of the'United States is:

,1. A machine having. a gas-filled casing anda rotatable member with a shaft extending through said casing, means for supplying gas'under pressure to said casing, achamber formed byspaced members lsealingly engaging the shaft at the .region of its egress from said casing, said chamber being maintained by saidsealing members at-a;pressurebetween-that of the casing and the surrounding atmosphere whereby gas continuously-enters the chamber from the casing by flow past the inner of'said members, means supplying aflow of oil along theshaft at the outer of said members to prevent leakage of gas'past said outer member, said oil being a carrier of air which tends to accumulate within said chamber, means ior conti-nuously conducting gas and air from the chamber, and means for controlling the rate of said conduction,- said. last-named means being controllably adjustable in a'range which includes the minimum rate of flowmadequate'to keep the purity of gas withinthe casingat an-efiective cooling level.

.2. A dynamoelectric machine of at least several thousand kva. capacity-having-a' gas-filled-casing and a. rotatable member with 1 a shaft I extending through said casing, means for supplying-gas under pressureto said casing,.a' chambersformed by spaced members sealingly engaging the shattat the region of its egress from said casing, said chamber being maintained by said: sealing members at a pressure between that of the casing and the surrounding atmosphere whereby gas continuously enters the chamber fromthe casing by flow past theinner ofsaid members, means supplying afiowof 'oil alongthe'shaft at the outer of said members to prevent leakage of-gas past said outer member, said oil being a carrier of air which tends to accumulate within said chamber, means for continuously conducting gas and air from the chamber, andimeans for maintaining the rate of -said'conduction at a value-on the orderoi 100 cubic feet per day whereby the purity of gas within the casing is maintained substantially con- "stant at an effective cooling level.

3. A dynam'oelectric machine of at leastseveral thousand-kva. capacityhaving a gas-filled casing and a rotatable member with a shaft-extending through said casing, means :for supplying gas under pressure to said casing,.-a'chamber formed by spaced members sealingiy engaging the shaft at the region ofits egress-from saidrcasing, said chamber beingmaintained by saidsealing mem- -bers at apressure "between that of the casing and the surrounding atmosphere whereby --gas 'continuous ly enters the chamber fromthecasing by flow past the inner of said members, means supplying afloW-of oil along theshaft at the outer'of said members to prevent leakage offgas past: said outer member,=said oil being a carrier of "air'which tends to accumulate withinsaid chamber, means for. continuously conducting gas and air from the chamber and exhausting the-same to atmosphere, tandlmeansfor maintaining'the rate of said conduction at a value-on the orderof 100 cubic: feet per day, said last named means being regulable with an accuracy of approximately plus or minus .a few cubic feetper day whereby said conduction rate may beaccurately adjusted to maintain the purity of gaswithin the casing: at apredetermined level.

=4. A dynamoelectric machine of at least several thousand kva. capacity havinga gas-filled casing and a rotatable member with ashaft-extending through said casing, means for supplying gas under pressure to said casing, a chamber formed by spaced members sealingly-engaging the shaft at the region of its egress from said casing, said chamber being maintainedby said sealing members at a pressure between that of the casing and the surrounding atmosphere whereby gas "continuously enters thechamber from the casingby flow past the inner of said'members means supplying a flow of oil along the shaft at the outer of said members touprevent leakage-ofgas past'said outer member, said oil beinga'carrier of air which tends to accumulate within said'chamber, means for continuously conducting gas and air-from the chamber and associating the same to atmosphere, andmeans for maintaining the rate of such conduction ata value within an economicaloperating range but sufiicient tokeep' the purity of gas within the casing at a purity above said'last- 'cnamed means including a-valve readily adjustableto control the rate of 'gas. flow withan accuracy of plus or minus alfewcubic. feet per day,:and -a flowmeter to facilitate adjustment ofsaid valve.

5. A method of operating a machinetof the type which includesv anenolosing casing havingat one end thereofa pair ofspaced"seals, which method 9 10 compl ises sltpplying gas uhder pressure to the REFERENCES CITED machme casmg while contmuously withdrawing gas from th space b t i 58315 and The following references are of record in the hausting to atmosphere, the rate of gas withfile Of this p t drawal being set at a rate efiectiye to maintain an UNITED STATES PATENTS essentially constant level of purlty in the encased gas without exceeding the bounds of economy. Number m Date DE WITT s SNELLL 2,307,755 Beckwlth Jan. 12, 1943 LLOYD P. GROBEL. 

